Upper Moreland Police Praise State Legislature for New Texting While Driving Ban

According to the Office of State Rep. Josh Shapiro, yesterday Governor Tom Corbett signed S.B. 314, a measure proposed by Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, to make Pennsylvania’s roads safer by making it a primary offense to text while driving.

said, in an e-mail, that he whole-heartedly approves of the new law.

"I am thrilled at the possibility that texting while driving will be made a primary motor vehicle code offense. Driving in itself is a divided attention activity with the operator managing the gas and brake, the steering wheel, viewing the roadway and identifying potential hazards," Nestel said. "Add texting or any other distraction and the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle diminishes drastically."

According Shapiro's office, Last month the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed the bill to ban reading, writing or sending a text message while driving.

During debate Shapiro offered an amendment on the House floor to strengthen the ban by making it a primary offense to text and drive. Shapiro’s amendment allows a driver to be pulled over for violating the law, as opposed to a secondary offense, which would result in a fine after an accident occurs, stated the press release.

The short title for Senate Bill 314 doesn't limit the ban to mobile phone usage, but incorporates any "interactive wireless communications device."

According to the Shapiro release, the state representative has long advocated for a statewide ban on texting and talking on hand-held cell phones while driving and first introduced this legislation in 2006. Nine states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation that bans the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving.

"Law enforcement wants drivers to be focused on one thing - driving," Chief Nestel said. "This legislation will help improve highway safety throughout the State.

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Shapiro represents the 153rd Legislative District in Montgomery County. For more information, visit www.pahouse.com/Shapiro.